West Seventh Street Safety Improvements

The West Seventh area has become one of the most active developments in Fort Worth. Between 2010 and 2017, 504 building permits were issued totaling $357.6 million.

Safety, walkability and accessibility improvements for the thriving West Seventh Street neighborhood, one of Fort Worth’s fastest growing areas, are underway. These improvements are designed to protect the public and include the conversion of some streets to one-way streets, additional parking at Farrington Field, installation of parking meters, sidewalk improvements, more police resources during peak hours, operation of a circulator bus and right-of-way from the Trinity River west to University Drive improvements for motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and transit users.

One-way streets

Morton, Bledsoe, Norwood and Foch streets in the West Seventh Street core will be converted to one-way streets to help with crowd control, improve access for emergency vehicles and reduce vehicle-pedestrian conflicts.

The new alignment is expected to be in place by mid-July after Currie and Lancaster intersection construction is finished and open to vehicular traffic. Capital cost is $120,000.

Farrington Field parking

Pay parking at the Fort Worth school district’s Farrington Field is already in place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Under a new agreement, 400 spaces of free parking will be available 24 hours a day beginning in early August. This effort is funded by the West Seventh Restaurant and Bar Association.

The free parking availability will coincide with the opening of the new Trail Drive Extension adjacent to Farrington Field and the reopening of the Curry Street/Lancaster Avenue intersection.

Parking meters

The city plans to install up to 250 parking meters in July in and near the West Seventh Urban Village core. Parking fees will be in effect from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. The meters are expected to pay for themselves in the first year of operation.

Sidewalk improvements

Priorities include filling gaps in the existing sidewalk network, building sidewalks where none exist, and repairs to sidewalks. The cost is expected to be about $1 million, and construction will begin in November 2018 and run through May 2019.

Police resources

Additional Fort Worth Police officers will be assigned to the West Division for a four-month trial, from May through August 2018, to assist in the West Seventh area. In addition, a police substation will open at the nearby Montgomery Plaza in June.

The Dash circulator bus

Beginning Spring 2019, an electric bus circulator, called The Dash, with proposed hours of 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. weekdays and until 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday will begin operations. The route will link Currie Street to downtown destinations, the Intermodal Transportation Center and the Cultural District.

Annual operating cost is estimated at $1.4 million. Trinity Metro will fund 75 percent, and the City of Fort Worth has committed $150,000 per year for three years, with the private sector funding the balance.

Right of way improvements

The voter-approved 2018 bond program will provide $8 million to improve the right of way from the Trinity River west to University Drive for motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and transit users.